Benson’s Restaurant Group is getting ready to debut its newest concept, The Edison, in Milwaukee’s Historic Third Ward.
The restaurant will open July 5 at 322 N. Broadway, serving up modern American cuisine for brunch, lunch and dinner seven days a week. Its 5,300-square-foot space, located on the ground floor of the restored 1914 Commission Row Warehouse, previously housed national burger chain Wahlburgers, which closed its Third Ward location in January. Benson’s announced its plans to take over the space just days later.
The Edison is the sixth restaurant location for Benson’s, which operates Onesto, Blue Bat Kitchen and Smoke Shack in the Third Ward, AJ Bombers on North Water Street downtown and The Bridgewater Modern Grill in the Harbor District.
Described as a “sophisticated neighborhood grill,” The Edison’s menu will feature coal-fired butcher’s cuts and seafood, including the shaved prime rib sandwich, lobster and porterhouse steak, as well as other classic dishes such as the mushroom casserole, fish and chips, crème fraiche pancakes and brioche French toast.
Its speakeasy-inspired bar will offer a menu of signature cocktails geared toward both the brunch and dinner crowd as well as diners who are looking for a mixed beverage sans alcohol. There will also be a selection of local and regional beer on draft and a wine list.
Between the bar and dining area, the restaurant will seat up to 140 people, with an additional 44 seats on its outdoor patio facing North Broadway.
While full dining service and reservations won’t go online until July 5, The Edison will open its doors to walk-ins beginning June 30 as a way to assist in staff training. The restaurant is currently hiring for all front of house and back of house positions. Patrick Erdman and Anthony Janssenwill have been tapped to lead the team as general manager and executive chef, respectively.
The launch of The Edison, in addition to seasonal hiring efforts across Benson’s footprint, contributes to the group’s expansion this summer to what will be around 600 total employees, reflecting the return to full staffing levels, according to Mike Besson, director of restaurant development for Benson’s. He spoke to BizTimes Milwaukee in April for a cover story on how local restaurant groups are navigating workforce challenges in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Hours of operation at The Edison are from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Happy hour food and drink specials run Monday through Friday from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Throughout the summer, The Edison will have live music by local artists.
“We’re thrilled to debut our newest restaurant, The Edison, to the community. In an amazing location, with unparalleled atmosphere and delicious food and drink, we can’t wait to welcome guests for any meal of the day and happy hour,” said David Marcus, CEO of Benson’s Restaurant Group.
